Peter Jones | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/profile/peter-jones
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Vocational education is vital for Britain's business futurehttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/aug/31/vocational-education-business-studies
It is disappointing that business studies is becoming less popular, says Dragon Peter Jones, because Britain needs entrepreneurs and inspired employees<p>Last week's GCSE results highlighted the perennial debate about attitudes to traditional and more vocational subjects. While it is <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/aug/24/gcse-results-2010-coursework" title="fantastic that the pass rates improved for the 23rd year in a row">fantastic that the pass rates improved for the 23rd year in a row</a>, with over two-thirds achieving five A*-Cs, I am disappointed that languages and business studies seem to be increasingly unpopular.</p><p>In the absence of more vocational GCSEs, it is a shame that there were 7% fewer entries for business studies this year and that almost three-quarters of students didn't take French. Yet both teach skills that are vital for UK industry.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/aug/31/vocational-education-business-studies">Continue reading...</a>Business management and marketingGCSEsA-levelsSchoolsVocational educationEducation14 - 19 educationExamsTue, 31 Aug 2010 07:00:08 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/aug/31/vocational-education-business-studiesRolf Marriott/BBCBusiness entrepreneurship can be taught vocationally, says Dragons' Den's Peter Jones (second from right). Photograph: Rolf Marriott/BBCRolf Marriott/BBCPeter Jones (second from right) in the Dragons' Den: entrepreneurship can be taught, he says. Photograph: Rolf Marriott/BBCPeter Jones2010-08-31T07:00:08ZMeerkat forces? Not good enough | Peter Joneshttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/aug/22/advertising-racism-meerkats
Why do television advertisers think it's OK to parody eastern European pronunciation?<p>A few weeks ago, my girlfriend and I were watching TV at home when the advert for <a href="http://www.comparethemarket.com/" title="Comparethemarket.com">comparethemarket.com</a> appeared on our screen. I had seen the ad before and not thought anything of it. However on this occasion, my girlfriend, who is Ukrainian, turned to me and said: &quot;I don't like this advert, it is very offensive to me.&quot; I mentioned it to a friend who said his Latvian lodger also found it offensive.</p><p>The advertisement centres on the word &quot;market&quot; – a word that eastern Europeans/Russians pronounce &quot;meerkat&quot; – using talking CGI-animated meerkats. The sole point of this African animal's appearance is, it seems, to highlight the idea that east Europeans cannot pronounce the word market properly when they speak English. It struck me how racist it was to parody what is now a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/12/immigration-poland-recession" title="Guardian: Immigrants: the perfect recession scapegoat">significant part</a> of the British population in this way. It also occurred to me that were the ad to use stereotypical Indian or Caribbean accents in the same way it would never be allowed on TV.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/aug/22/advertising-racism-meerkats">Continue reading...</a>AdvertisingRace issuesMediaTelevisionTelevision industryImmigration and asylumUK newsCultureTelevision & radioSat, 22 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/aug/22/advertising-racism-meerkatsPeter Jones2009-08-22T14:00:00Z